


Failure

by TheSoliloquy



Category: Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Dark, Gen, Oneshot, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-20
Updated: 2009-10-20
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSoliloquy/pseuds/TheSoliloquy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Fellowship had failed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Failure

**Author's Note:**

> Re-written from the original on ff.net

Boromir, the Captain of Gondor; the most noble of men; the most loving of brothers… he was first to fall, heroic in his redemption as he despaired and was comforted in his king's embrace, breathing his last while echoes of the little ones' cries riddled his mind. The elf swallowed his grief, and he alone kept his companions from falling with heavy hearts on Rohan's plains.

 

Aragorn, their future king; the most skilled of healers; the most courageous of warriors, but most importantly, the best of leaders: It took a weeping dwarf and four men to pry the elf from his mangled body, among the din of an ongoing battle. And so, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, was second to fall, crushed beneath the foot of a troll as his comrades screamed his name.

 

Gimli, proud dwarf; appreciated comedian; the most magical of forgers; the most cherished of allies, was next to perish. Even as they retreated from the gates of Mordor did black-feathered arrows rain down upon them, and the short-legged dwarf was lost among their barbs. It took two hobbits and a wizard to drag the screaming elf away.

 

Merry, gleeful pragmatist; strong singer; the most sensible of fellows; the most devoted of protectors, was separated from his younger cousin in the hordes of fleeing soldiers, and caught unawares by the cliff he had been racing, unknowingly, towards. It took what miniscule shrapnel of common sense he had left for the elf to restrain himself from hurling after him.

 

Pippin, student of curiosity; beautiful vocalist; the most innocent of mischievous plotters; the most light-hearted of any, became victim to anguish, and as another tried in vain to halt him, took his own life by way of poison. It took a wizard to convince the elf to eat.

 

Sam, esteemed gardener; lover of all things living; the most loyal of companions; the most passionate of allies, was found on the mountainside, no more than charred bones: he had not escaped the wrath of the orcs. It had taken a wizard, a shieldmaiden, and a newly appointed steward to care for the unresponsive elf.

 

Gandalf, old Istar; wise mentor; the most loved of friends; the most powerful of wizards, was powerless against the Balrog he had once smote. Once again they fought, and once again hauled each other down in bloody destruction. There was no second resurrection. It took seven healers and a shieldmaiden to save the elf from himself.

 

Frodo, kind ringbearer; knowing Baggins; the most valiant of hobbits; the most full-hearted of creatures, was gone. Perhaps he was smothered within the molten pit of mount doom, perhaps Gollum had killed him, perhaps the ring had poisoned his mind past recovery. Samwise the Brave would never had abandoned his master willingly, that much they _knew_ , but the rest… they could only hope he was past suffering.

 

And then there was one.

 

Legolas, clever Greenleaf; golden archer; the most pure of elves; the most joyous of the three hunters, succumbed to the malady of grief, and took his final breath in the arms of a sobbing shieldmaiden.

 

The dwarves withdrew deep into the mines, and the elves to Valinor, as one by one, great kingdoms fell to darkness, and all hope was lost. Reunited with the one ring, Sauron the destroyer bid the crops to dust, and the villages inwrought with pain.

 

And so it was that Middle-earth fell. The fellowship had failed.


End file.
